A height poster was plastered over the wall as Toby's figure slowly walked to the corner of the wall, holding up the never-pleasing sign of the APD name and a number, his first mugshot being taken.
"What kind of nerd breaks into a museum?" The Policeman mumbled.
The camera whirred, preparing to take a shot as Toby looked up, his lips slightly puckered as his eyebrows raised at the fact he now had a criminal record.
"Move to the middle. Pose," The Policeman instructed.
After Toby had stepped to the side and heard the specific word "pose", he smiled shyly. As each time the camera clicked, Toby had different poses. One was him pointing to the sign he had been forced to hold, after that he had tried his best to make a 'handsome' face, holding the side further out on his side. With another pose of him holding it above his head, the Policeman becomes irritated with Toby.
"Okay, come on," He said to Toby. The Policeman took another picture, and Toby moved closer to the camera, "No, stop! Next!"
Jim appeared from the other side, his posture slacking as he sighed, not even smiling. As the camera's whistle got higher, so did Toby's eyes which appeared at the bottom of the screen. With a click, Toby had taken a picture with his arm around Jim, the two holding up their signs, yet, Jim was giving Toby a displeasing look while he smiled into the camera. The cop groaned as the picture clicked.
"Get these two out of here!"
A Policeman and Policewoman moved Toby and Jim away from the camera. Raelle walked over and stood in front of the camera, holding a sign with her name on it. She looked at the camera with an annoyed expression.
"Let's just get this over with," Raelle mumbled with annoyance as she rolled her eyes.
The Policeman was about to take Raelle's picture but stopped when he thought he saw her eyes change to a bright red for a second. He looked at her with confusion and wide eyes before dismissing it. The Policeman took her pictures, and he was glad that she gave him no trouble, unlike Toby.
Barbara arrived at the police station, and Mr. Strickler showed up soon after. Barbara told the teens to wait in the car, and they obliged.
The colors of red and blue from the police cars brightened the station as Strickler and Barbara walked out. Jim, Raelle, and Toby had watched from inside Barbara's car.
"I can't thank you enough for coming to the station. They are so lucky she didn't press any charges," Barbara said.
"Ms. Nomura is a personal friend. She agrees with me that this was nothing more than reckless youth run amok," Strickler said.
In the car, Toby perked up from the back seat.
"I mean, who else do you think is hiding an evil troll face?" Toby asked Jim and Raelle, "Coach Lawrence? Steve?" He lets out a small gasp, "What if Strickler's one of them?"
"Strickler's been teaching history at Arcadia Oaks High since the dawn of history. If he's one, I'm one," Jim said, dismissing Toby's theory.
"Yeah," Raelle agreed with her brother before adding, "If Mr. Strickler is one then he would have known about who me and Jim are and would have tried to kill us already."
Jim caught Toby watching Strickler suspiciously with an untrustful look. Jim scoffed as he rolled his eyes before grabbing Toby's phone. Raelle pulled Toby back to his seat as Jim found the picture that Toby had taken of the bridge, yet the symbols were barely visible as it was blurry.
"I know where I've seen this bridge. It's the same one that Blinky was talking about," Jim realized.
"What? The Killa-thingy Bridge? That's, like, ancient history, right?" Toby asked.
"This is not good, guys. They have to be trying to release Gunmar. And if they succeed, then I think an exam from Señor Uhl is the last thing we have to worry about because there probably won't be an Acradia anymore. We got to tell Blinky about this when we get home," Raelle said.
The three teens panicked as the driver's side car door was pulled open, and Barbara's voice startled them.
"You didn't have to go through all this trouble, Mr. Strickler," She said.
Jim quickly handed Toby his phone back, hiding his hands as his face held many emotions. Strickler leaned through the passenger window, startling Jim as he spoke suddenly.
"Please, "Walter," He insisted, "I'm sorry we had to meet under this unfortunate circumstance."
"There must be some way I can repay you. Coffee? Dinner? Appendix removal?" Barbara let out a little laugh as she listed what she could do in return.
Jim and Raelle's eyes grew, and each had an eyebrow raised, shocked at what they heard. Jim and Raelle looked at Toby, the three sharing a surprising look.
"I-Coffee would be a delight. And a rain check on the appendectomy," Strickler said.
"Looking forward to it, Walter."
Strickler turned his attention to Jim and Raelle, "Watch yourselves, Young Atlas, Young Artemis. Next time, the consequences could be more severe."
Strickler walked away as Jim and Raelle turned to look at their mom.
"Did you actually just ask my teacher out on a date?" Jim questioned.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Raelle said, her hand covering her mouth.
"Don't you make this about me. You guys broke into a museum!" Barbara exclaimed with a raised voice, causing Jim to flinch against his door and Raelle into her seat. The two teens smile with worry. Barbara holds up Toby's Chubby Tracker, "And for this? You two are grounded until you apologize to that woman."
Barbara started the car while Jim and Raelle let out large a exhale before her finger was pointed at Jim and then Raelle, switching every couple of seconds.
Barbara exhales deeply, "You got me?"
"Yes, Mom," Jim and Raelle replied.
"Yes, Dr. Lake," Toby mumbled.
Barbara drove away from the police station. When they arrived home, Toby walked across the street to his house, while Barbara and her children silently walked into their house. Jim and Raelle went to their rooms, while their mother remained downstairs for a bit. Raelle lay on her bed as she stared up at her ceiling. She wonders what Nomura could possibly be and if she has any connection to her past or knows someone who does.
Raelle looked at her clock and was sure her mom was asleep by now. Raelle quickly puts a decoy under her sheets to make it look like she is sleeping before escaping through the window. When she landed on the ground, Jim had their bikes ready. Toby was on his and peddled over to them before they all left for Trollmarket.
In Trollmarket, Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, Raelle, Jim, and Toby surrounded Toby's phone. They look at the blurry picture Toby had taken of the half-built bridge at the museum.
"Are you certain?" Blinky asked, "Are you unquestionably, unequivocally..."
"I'm certain," Jim replied.
"Could be anything," Aaarrrgghh said.
"I concur," Blinky spoke, "Tobias' photographic skills are less than exemplary."
"Okay, it's a little blurry! You try taking a picture while hauling butt, mister!" Toby said.
"Okay, well, what about the curator? How could a person just change like that?" Jim quietly asked.
Blinky waved over a waiter, grabbing a drink from the tray as Aaarrrgghh communicates in Trollish. Then Blinky responded in Trollish too. Like with Draal the other day, Raelle could understand some of the conversations, but only a few words.
"Come on, guys, fess up. What is it?" Raelle asked, "You two are talking about something important."
"Changeling," Aaarrrgghh simply said, perhaps a little too loud for comfort.
The drink Blinky had been slamming down, spitting out all the liquid that he hadn't swallowed as gasps filled the room. With a quick movement, Blinky tried his best to cover Aaarrrgghh's mouth with only one of his hands. Every troll relaxing in the bar turned to the table that had spoken that name.
"Not helping," Blinky chuckled nervously in response as he patted Aaarrrgghh's face. The other trolls turned around and conversated like usual.
"Sorry," Aaarrrgghh apologized.
Jim, Raelle, and Toby moved closer, Blinky's voice dropping as he cupped his mouth with his hand, hiding the conversation from any other person.
"Changelings haven't been talked about in quite some time," Blinky began before his eyes caught another troll stopped behind them, eavesdropping, Do you mind?"
"Whatever," He said before walking away.
"In the Old World, Gumm-Gumms...," Blinky started again.
The same troll stopped on the other side, peeking behind Aaarrrgghh, yet no one had missed his large self. Blinky threw him a threatening glare.
"Fine."
Finally, after the troll left them to their little secret, Blinky continued.
"...Stole our young and did something unnatural to change them. Their sole purpose: to spy on the world above. Changelings' loyalty is only to Gunmar. That is why some trolls fear the Witcher, Mistress Raelle. They fear the Witcher will one day swear loyalty to Gunmar and do his bidding."
Raelle was speechless from what she had just heard and was almost catatonic.
"What did they do to them?" Toby asked, intrigued.
"Nasty business. Very messy," Aaarrrgghh replied.
Blinky waved Jim and Raelle over, knocking a cup off in the process but caught it with his other hand and set it back on the table before leading Jim and Raelle away.
"These are the very reasons I doubt your certainty. I don't question you saw a bridge, but Killahead? It would take years to collect all of the stones. Decades, even. You would need an army of changelings," Blinky told them.
"I know what I saw," Jim said.
"These are serious accusations, Master Jim. Without proof, absolute bedlam will ensue."
"Then come with us to the museum, and we'll show you the bridge," Raelle said.
Toby popped around the corner and spoke, "Well, we have to tell someone. This is our city, too."
"Who? Our court-appointed psychiatrist? They're never going to believe us," Jim added, looking a little defeated.
Before Jim could climb any stairs, Draal appeared in front of him, walking into the bar.
"Well, if it isn't the piece of flesh I'll pound into pancakes tomorrow. I look forward to your pain, and I'll drink to your death," Draal said.
"Death?" Jim asked, turning to Blinky, "What is he talking about? I thought this was only a rematch."
"To challenge a troll's honor can only end in ruin," Blinky told him, "It's all right there in chapter three of A Brief Recap - You still haven't read the book."
"So, what!? That would have been important to know before Jim challenged him to a rematch," Raelle said.
"Now, hold on. This fight, I don't know, maybe we can, um postpone it?" Jim asked, even though he hadn't much hope of getting the answer he wanted.
"Postpone, you say?" Draal laughed before looking at Blinky, "What a trainer! Does everyone in your company forget how to fight?"
"There are things that have been brought to our attention. Things that have serious implications," Jim mentioned.
"No, no, no, Master Jim! Shh!" Blinky said, quieting Jim.
"By Kanjigar's honor," Draal said, "I would have made your death swift and painless, but, for that act of cowardice, I will show you no mercy when I take back what's rightfully mine," He walks away but turns to Jim, "Bid farewell to your loved ones, Jim the Dead Meat."
Draal laughs as he walks away, leaving Jim to process the information. Toby places a comforting hand on his shoulder, and Raelle stands beside her brother.
"I'm going to die tomorrow," Jim said.
The three teens both shared a sigh.
The next day at school, Raelle could tell her brother's mind was on the fight between him and Draal. It seemed to be the only thing he could focus on as he moved through the day in a daze. She knew that he was afraid of what was going to happen. Raelle wished that there was something she could do, but she was not sure what she could do. It felt that all she could do was hope that Jim would win the fight.
After school, Jim and Raelle were back at home in the kitchen. The two were preparing a meal for themselves and their mother. It was Jim's idea since he thought there was a possibility of this being his last night alive. Dinner included all of their mother's favorites.
The timer's bell dinged, alerting Jim. He opened the oven and pulled out a pan as Barbara poked her head into the kitchen.
"Blueberry waffles? Bacon mac and cheese? Shrimp cakes? What is this, a last meal?" Barbara commented as she walked over and stuck her finger into a bowl, enjoying the flavor running over her tongue.
"Well, we wanted to bake cookies, then decided to make your favorite," Jim said.
"And then that sort of evolved to all your favorites," Raelle finished.
"If you think this is going to get you two out of apologizing to Ms. Nomura-" Barbara began.
"Hey, can't we just have dinner? We've both been so busy. When's the last time we've really sat down and talked?" Jim said, earning a beautiful smile from his mother.
"I'll set the table."
She walked out of the kitchen, leaving her two children alone to discuss crucial matters.
"Jim, if you keep acting as if you've already lost the fight, then you will lose," Raelle said.
"I know. It's just that there is a chance of me not coming out of the fight alive, and I want to have one last ni-" Jim began explaining before Raelle interrupted him.
"Bup bup bup bup. You need to stop that, Jim," She told him, "This is what Draal wants: you acting like a loser. So, don't act like a loser."
Raelle grabbed the food that is ready and walked out of the kitchen to place them on the table.
After they were done with dinner, Barbara rubbed her stomach as her children ventured into the kitchen to clean up.
"Oh! That was delicious," Barbara commented, "I don't know what I'd do without you, kiddo. I'd be ten pounds lighter, but..."
"Well, you deserve it," Jim mumbled from inside the kitchen.
"Shrimp cakes? Gosh, I haven't had those since-" Baraba said before she went silent.
"Since Dad made them for us?"
Raelle knew that Jim's dad was a touchy subject. James Lake Sr. had left before Raelle had entered Barbara and Jim's lives. Since she did not know him, Raelle decided to stay out of the conversation.
"I didn't think you were old enough to remember," She smiled.
"Oh, I remember enough," Jim said, "I remember how his beard would scratch my face when he hugged me. How he used to make you laugh. But, most of all, how much he hurt you when he left."
"Jim, where is this coming from?" Barbara asked her son.
"No matter what happens to me, I would never leave you like that. At least, well..." He chuckles lightly, "Not by choice. You're an amazing person, and I just want you to know I'll always love you."
"Don't you start that talk with me. I'm still hoping you two end up close at an in-state college. Now, help me clear the dishes," Barbara picks up the dishes off the table and walks into the kitchen, "We are going to wrap these up for tomorrow. You have to give me that waffle recipe. If there's anything I could eat forever, it's waffles."
Barbara set the dishes she carried in the sink as Jim slipped a letter meant for her in a cookbook.
"It's here when you need it," Jim said.
Late into the night, Raelle lay on her bed as she stared at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep and kept thinking about the fight and the possibility of her brother dying. Raelle looked at her alarm clock and saw it was a little past two in the morning.
Raelle sighed before getting out of bed. She quietly walked to her brother's room and knocked on the door. A few seconds passed before Jim opened the door.
"Hey," Raelle quietly greeted Jim, "Couldn't sleep?"
"Yeah," He replied.
"Me either."
"You want to come in?" Jim asked.
"Sure," Raelle responded.
She walked in, and Jim closed the door. The two sat on Jim's bed before Jim lifted his glowing amulet and shone the bright light onto one of his posters, the words written on it suddenly turned to Trollish.
"Look," Jim pointed at the poster, "It's in Troll."
"What? What are you talking about," Raelle said, looking at the poster before turning to her brother, "It's in English."
"You can understand it?" Jim questioned.
"Yeah, can't you?"
Jim bent over his bed, finding a book that had been slid underneath it before pulling it out and flicking on his lamp. He flipped the pages, finding a page with the Killahead Bridge sketched on it, and information surrounding it.
"Can you understand this?" Jim asked his sister while pointing to the words in the book.
"Yeah, it talks about the symbols on the bridge," Raelle responded.
Jim pulled out his amulet, aiming the light at the page, making the words in Trollish translate to English. Jim glanced at his amulet and smiled before he aimed it back at the pages, which suddenly turned without his command.
"That is so cool," Raelle commented.
"Weak points," Jim read, "Rule three: Kick him in the Gronk-nuks. Identifying your opponent's weakness."
A beep of the walkie-talkie pulled Jim and Raelel from their reading. They looked at the communication device as Toby's voice came through.
"Hey, Jimbo. You up?" Toby asked.
Jim grabbed the walkie-talkie before he and Raelle headed to the window, finding their friend waiting in front of his window.
"Yeah," Jim replied, "How can I sleep?"
"What are you doing?"
"Reading," Raelle answered.
"Tomorrow's a pretty big day. You ready?" Toby asked Jim.
"Mmm, nope," He responded.
"Yeah, me neither. Night, Jimbo."
"Good pep talk, Tobes. Huh," Jim said.
The two looked to find that Toby had moved from the window. Raelle then returned to her room and managed to fall asleep after a few minutes. She felt better now that her brother had a way to read the book and was now able to learn from it.
The next day in the Hero's Forge, the spectators crowded on the balconies, ready for the fight as chatter erupted.
"Gathered trollkind!" Vendel spoke from his spot on the balcony, "The Trollhunter has laid a challenge before the son of his predecessor, and you shall all bear witness to the ensuing battle, which will be one for the ages. If not remarkably painful and short," He said the last sentence quietly.
The arena was empty as Jim, Raelle, Aaarrrgghh, Blinky, and Toby eyed the situation before them. Jim pulled out two letters, and he looked at Toby and Raelle.
"Hey, I...I want you to have this," Jim gives the letters to his friend and sister.
"What's this?" Toby asked.
They take the letter with their names on it. Raelle and Toby glance at their names before looking at Jim.
"It says everything I want to say," Jim said.
"You promised me tacos," Toby reminded him.
"Now is not the time for lunch, Tobes," He scoffed.
"Last week, we went for tacos. I paid. You said, "Next time on me." You're going to get this letter back unopened after the fight, and when you get back, we'll get tacos."
"Tacos sounds good," Jim chuckled.
Raelle hugged her brother and said, "Try not to get killed."
"Draal, son of Kanjigar, son of Tarigar, Draal the Destroyer, come forth," Vendel announced.
Draal rolls out of the cave and into the forge as spotlights catch him. He rolls up into the air and lands in the middle of the arena. Draal roars and laughs to the crowd, throwing up his hands as people cheer. Aaarrrgghh placed a hand on Jim's shoulder, none too gently, but Jim appreciated it.
"It's time to put everything I've ever said to you to practice. With a little luck, he'll trip and fall," Blinky said, "Now, tell me: rule one."
"Always be afraid," Jim responded.
"Rule two."
"Always finish a fight."
"Rule three?"
"About that. I was reading, when the Venerable Bedehilde fought the Hydrabeast, there were no Gronk-nuks, but there was a weakness under its scales," Jim said.
"You read the book?" Blinky smiled.
"So, it got me thinking. Does Draal have a weakness?" He asked.
"He read the book. He read the book!" Blinky hugged Jim tightly before lifting him off the ground.
"Books tasty," Aaarrrgghh smiled.
"And now, Draal's combatant, James Lake Jr., son of..." Vendel began announcing but stopped when he did not know who Jim is the son of, and another troll whispered it into Vendel's ear, "Ba-bu-rah. Come forth, human Trollhunter."
Jim took a deep breath as the gate opened. Two guard trolls stood on either side of Jim as he entered the arena. Jim did his best to miss the booing and other harsh sounds of the crowds.
"Fight from your heart, Master Jim! It's strong, stronger than any rock!" Blinky shouted before the gate closed, locking them away from Jim. Blinky began to whisper, "And certainly, stronger than mine."
"Prepare for battle," Vendel said.
Draal smashed his fists into the ground with an imitating roar. Jim held up the amulet and press it against his chest, not bothering to speak the incantation, as his armor and sword appeared.
"Here we go. I am doing this," Jim said as he held up his sword.
"Begin!" Vendel announced.
The crowd cheers as a guard hit a button, and the floor lets out a rumble before it lifted, startling Jim. The gears below lifted the platform higher than the crowd while Jim watched, with no barriers to stop them from falling off. The gears stopped moving and caused the platform to stop roughly. It then splits off, one by one, into enormous pieces creating a large staircase. Jim runs to his right but stops when the piece of the platform drops. Jim let out a yelp as he ran to his left, but it had dropped.
Draal lets out a scream and lunges at the human Trollhunter. Jim quickly jumped onto the closes and lower platform. Jim landed with a groan, quickly gathering himself before rolling to the side as Draal's fists meant for him cracked the ground instead. Draal grabbed Jim's leg, throwing him in a circle before letting him fly into a wall.
Stumbling forward, Jim couldn't regain himself until he was at the edge of the platform and about to drop down into nothing but gears and possible death. Jim looked up at Draal, who celebrated with the crowd. The giant blue troll looked over his shoulder and down at Jim before rolling down the wall. Jim barely missed Draal as he moved past him, Draal doing a lap around the arena and right back at Jim.
Thinking quickly, Jim tosses his sword in the path of Draal, the metal embedding into the rock, stopping Draal. The blue smoke filled the area as Draal hit it, causing Jim to flinch back just in case. Draal blinked a couple of times and looked down at the sword with shock as the audience gasped. The sword appeared to return in Jim's hand as he gave a confident smile.
A troll in the crowd who had been sipping on a drink spit out his drink in complete shock as Jim's sister and friends watched with shock as well. Toby was bouncing on his feet with happiness.
"I never taught him that. Did you?" Blinky asked, watching with complete confusion.
"He's a natural!" Toby responded happily.
"You got this, Jim!" Raelle cheered.
Jim swung his sword, now finally putting his fighting skills to use. He chucked his sword at the now angry Draal, knocked the blade away with his arm, and it disintegrated.
"And there goes that move," Jim said.
Draal roars before beginning to roll once more at Jim.
"Ten whole seconds! He's not dead! That's a fortuitous sign," Blinky said. Jim passed their corner, screaming as Draal chased after him.
"Don't jinx," Aaarrrgghh told Blinky.
Jim ran as Draal rolled on the wall and ahead of him. The troll stops his roll, running at the Trollhunter with a raised fist as he jumps in the air. Jim protects his head with his arms. Draal's fist collided with Jim, causing him to be pushed to the ground. Jim's body became covered in blue smoke that poured from his armor. The crowd cheered as Vendel watched with utter shock while Blinky and Aaarrrgghh cringed at the sight.
"Jim!" Raelle cried out.
"Look away! We will not remember him like this," Blinky said as he covered his eyes and Raelle's. Aaarrrgghh had already covered his own and Toby's.
The blue orbit absorbed, showing Jim, who lay helplessly on the cracked pavement. Once again, Draal took hold of Jim's right leg and tossed him into the air. Jim landed near the edge of the platform. Before Jim could get up, Draal rolled over and threw him into the air. Jim landed with a thud in the middle of the platform. Raelle had enough of standing on the sidelines while Draal was beating up her brother.
Raelle's eyes glowed red with rage before shouting, "Enough!"
Raelle broke through the gate as dark purple and black smoke with light purple electricity appeared around her. She transformed into her Gargoyle form for the first time.
Raelle's new form had lavender stone skin. She was tall and slender, with large bat-like wings and long white hair. The points of her ears stuck out of her hair. A prehensile tail, two arms each with three claws and an opposable thumb-like claw on her hands, two legs with three forward toes, and a back claw with curving spurs extending from the knees and elbows. Her facial features remained the same.
She wears a black leather dress continuing down her torso and ending in a multi-paneled mini-skirt just above the knee, which is covered by dark silver-plated armor. The dark silver armor continued down her legs and ended at her ankles. Over her dress, she wore silver armor plates that ended right above her chest. Her neck was covered by a dark-sheer material. On her forearms are dark silver metal bracers with gold detailing at the top and bottom, and rectangular dark silver plates with pointed ends, resembling feathers, cover her wings. A metallic grey forehead tiara with a two-layered upside-down triangle rested two inches upon the space between her brows. In the center of the triangle is an eight-pointed star.
Everyone but Jim and Draal took notice and gasped at the sight. Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, Vendal, and the other trolls bow their heads and kneel with reverence. Raelle used her wings to fly over to her brother and Draal.
While holding Jim up by his arm, Draal pulled his fist back, preparing to punch him. But as he goes to punch Jim in the face, his fist stops halfway. Draal saw the glowing stone end of the scourge tightly wrapped around his hand. He looked over his shoulder to see Raelle flying above the platform with the handle in her hand.
Raelle pulled hard on the scourge, causing Draal to let out of Jim. Jim watched in shock at his sister and could not believe what he saw. Raelle flew high above the area with Draal behind her before releasing him from her scourge. Draal fell to the ground, and the air was knocked out of him when he landed. Raelle stood on his chest and looked down at him.
"You keep wondering why the amulet chose my brother and not you, Draal. But everyone knows why the amulet did not choose you. You are a bully, Draal!" Raelle told him.
Raelle repeatedly punched Draal in the face with all the strength her new form could give her. Hatred was coursing through her veins, and it was not fading away. Draal attempted to grab her ankles, but Raelle flew away. As Raelle hovers several feet above the ground, Draal regains himself and stands up. Raelle dives toward him to attack, but Draal rolls out of the way. Raelle tried to move up to avoid hitting the ground, but she was too late as Draal grabbed her tail. He spun around to create momentum before letting go of Raelle.
Raelle flew through the air before her back hit the wall, knocking her unconscious. Dark purple and black smoke with light purple electricity appeared around Raelle as she slid to the ground next to Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, and Toby. When the smoke and electricity disappeared, Raelle was human again. Aaarrrgghh reached out and pulled Raelle back to him, Blinky, and Toby. She groaned in pain as she slowly regained consciousness.
"Rae!" Jim cried before turning to Draal, "No one hurts my sister!"
Even with the anger toward Draal, Jim couldn't push himself up. Draal advanced on Jim with a chuckle, the boy glaring as he looked back and twisting his body.
"Rule number three," Jim said as he sent his foot towards Draal's private area.
As Draal groans in pain, the crowd gasps and winces at the familiar feeling. Draal dropped to the floor in pain while covering his Gronk-nuks, but quickly gathered himself but found no Jim around him.
"Huh? What? Huh?" Draal growled.
A pair of metal feet appeared in the large gap between Draal's thighs as Draal twisted and turned in search of his enemy. Jim, still holding his stomach, limped but quickly stayed behind him.
"By Deya's grace, he found it!" Blinky cheered.
"Found what?" Aaarrrgghh asked.
"His weakness! Draal's blind spot!" He clarified.
Jim backed up as he maintained to stay behind his opponent's body. Draal yelled in frustration as he could not find Jim. A creaking noise alerted Jim to find a gigantic axe appearing from a slit in the wall, swinging forward and then back into its hiding spot.
"You cannot be the Trollhunter! You're a boy! I am the son of Kanjigar!" Draal yelled.
Jim managed to limp over and leaned against the opening, finally speaking and coming out of hiding.
"And I am Jim, son of Barbara. And the amulet chose me!" Jim said.
Draal roared as a familiar releasing noise met Jim's ears, his eyes popping open and dodging the large axe at the last minute. Draal's eyes grew in size as the axe knocked him away before his body was thrown over the edge, his fingers gripping onto the ledge, hoping not to die.
Everyone gasps in shock. Jim stood difficultly, holding his now bruised stomach as he slowly hobbled to where Draal had been hanging.
"Yes! He did it!" Toby cheered.
"It's not over yet. He has to finish the fight," Blinky said.
Raelle limped to the gate and leaned against it for support. She watched as Jim walked toward Draal and hoped he would make the right choice.
"Please, Jim," Raelle said in a hushed voice.
"Finish the fight! Finish the fight!"
The crowd chanted as Jim looked down at Draal, watching the troll grunt as he wasn't able to pull himself up. The sword of daylight appeared, Jim raising it and pointing it at Draal, his face being overrun by many emotions.
"Finish the fight! Finish the fight!" The crowd chanted.
Draal watched in shock and worry that his death was about to come. Jim yelled and brought the sword down, only to find the sword hadn't struck Draal but the ground. Draal looked up as the smoke died off Jim's sword.
"The fight is to the death," Draal heavily exhaled as Jim held out his hand. Draal stared at Jim's hand.
"House rules, not mine. Come on, man. Don't make it weird," Jim said.
Draal used his free hand to grab onto Jim's, the armor giving him the strength to pull Draal up, the crowd booing at the action.
"You should have killed me," Draal told him as he kneeled to the ground.
Jim walked off to the center of the arena and addressed the crowd.
"Look, I may not have followed your rules, but neither did the amulet when it chose me. Right now, over our heads, changelings are in Arcadia," Jim revealed, causing the crowd the gasp.
"What is he talking about?" Vendel questioned.
"You'll need a Trollhunter who doesn't have to live in the shadows. This is a time to work together. They're building the Killahead-"
"Stop! Say no more! We must leave this instant!" Blinky demanded as he pulled Jim's arm.
Blinky pulled him from the view of the crowd as they booed. Blinky, Jim, Aaarrrgghh, Toby, and Raelle walk across the stone bridge out of the arena.
"They have a right to know," Jim said.
"And you have a right to listen! Ours is an ancient race. It will take time to win hearts and minds," Blinky told him.
Jim and Raelle look back to see the crowd booing and throwing garbage at Draal as he exits in sadness and defeat.
"Why are they treating him that way?" Jim asked.
"You spared his life, but destroyed his honor. He will never be able to show his face in Trollmarket again," Blinky informed him.
"That's ridiculous," Raelle voiced, "He lost a fight. It's not like he betrayed everyone."
Jim and Raelle look sadly at Draal before continuing their walk out of the Forge. Vendel watched as he stroked his chin.
"Oh, praise!" Toby laughed once they were out of the Forge, "You're alive!"
"And sore," Jim chuckled as Toby hugged him, "Ease up."
"Just one more minute," Toby added.
A voice pulled them from their happy moment, Vendel standing in the tunnel as the five turn around, awkward in the situation.
"Aaarrrgghh, Blinky... a word," Vendel said.
"Good fight," Aaarrrgghh patted Jim's head as he left.
"Yes! Very good fight, Master Jim. I'll handle Vendel. You get home and rest. Tomorrow, we shall join you for these- What do you call them? Ah, yes, 'tacos'," Blinky said as he walked away.
"Mmm, tacos," Aaarrrgghh hummed.
"You opened the letter," Jim asked as Toby continued to hug him.
"When I read I was your best friend, it took our relationship to a whole new level," Toby sighs with contentment, resting against his tall friend.
"Raelle, are you alright?" Jim asked worriedly.
"I'm fine," She answered, "Turns out I can heal pretty fast as The Witcher."
"Did you open yours too?"
"I did. And I have to say that I'm touched," Raelle said, "Thanks for letting me know that I inspired you to be brave."
"You're welcome."
After leaving Trollmarket, the three humans rode their bikes back home. Jim pressed his forehead to the house wall, crickets chirping as he looked at his amulet.
"Just an average teenager after an average teenage day," Jim said to himself.
"Come on, let's get you upstairs before you pass out," Raelle said.
Jim hummed in agreement as he slipped it into his bag before he and Raelle headed into their home.
"Hey, Mom, we're home. Jim and I are going to head upstairs to start on our homework," Raelle said.
They rested their bags at the foot of the stairs, upon the large piece of the railing as a hand waved out from the corner, Jim tiredly pressing his forehead to his arm.
"In here," Barbara called from the dinner table, "Guess who brought tea?"
"Oh, not Strickler again," Jim mumbled.
"There is nothing worse than your mom dating your teacher," Raelle said.
They headed into the dining room to find their mother and Nomura. The two gasped in surprise as the Changeling eyed them hungrily with a grin.
"Don't you two have something to say to Ms. Nomura?" Barbara asked her children.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Nomura," Jim said, "My sister and I should have never gone into the museum in the first place. It's an unforgivable offense, and we deeply apologize."
"That's more like it."
"But not as sorry as you're going to be for coming into our home, with our mother. So, you'd better leave now, or else you'll be sorry," Raelle threatened the Changeling as she and Jim made their way to their mother's side.
Nomura just smirked as she waited for a fight.
"Raelle! She's our guest. What's gotten into you?" Barbara's words died off as her head dropped on the table, no longer conscious.
"Mom!" Jim and Raelle cried out.
Nomura takes a sip of her tea before she stands up and follows the teenagers, who backed away from her.
"That speech was very moving. Too bad she won't remember it when she wakes up and finds your bodies!" Nomura said.
Jim takes off to his bag, almost making it, but Nomura grabbed his collar, throwing him back into the kitchen, his body slamming into the counters. Raelle's eyes glow red as she summons her scourge before swinging it at Nomura. The Changeling manages to duck and dodge the stone end of the weapon. Raelle quickly retreated into the kitchen as Jim pulled himself up and reached for the knives, only to find them missing.
"Looking for these?" Nomura said.
Walking into the kitchen, Nomura was in her troll form. The knives Jim had been looking for were between her fingers before she released them at Jim and Raelle. Jim quickly used the pan closest to him as a shield for himself and Raelle.
Nomura jumps with another sharp steak knife in her hand, the pan becoming useful as Jim twiddles it with his fingers and tries to take a few swings. With a grab of his wrist, Jim was pushed back onto the counter as her other hand threw the knife to his head, the Trollhunter lucky to avoid it.
Raelle shoved Nomura's head into a coffee machine and pressed a button. Steam was released, drowning her in the smoke-like substance. Now in the clear, Jim and Raelle headed out of the kitchen. Jim goes to his backpack, ducking as a knife sliced through the door. Nomura screamed before running at them and taking strikes as the two teens dodged each one.
Nomura leaps in front of Jim, yet, nothing could stop him as he climbed the side of the stairs effortlessly and pulled his backpack off the railing. Nomura throws another hit at the boy. Without thinking, Jim holds up the amulet, stopping her punch, but the magic had threw the two on opposite sides. The amulet rolled under Nomura before it stopped under the safety of the couch.
Jim and Raelle retreated up the steps while Nomura cleared herself from the blow and jumped to the stairs. The two teens locked themselves in the safety net of the bathroom for the time being. The Changeling quickly scurried herself up the stairs before she let out a haunting tune with her whistle. The Trollhunter and Witcher listened with worry, afraid that she might find them.
The door handle suddenly shook violently before the door popped open to reveal Nomura finding an empty room. She searched the hallway as Jim and Raelle heard the familiar sound of his amulet. Jim pulls open the bathroom mirror, happy to see his amulet transported there.
"Yes! Thank you!" Jim cheered, "For the Glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command."
The whistling continued as a glowing blue flash colored the cracks in the bathroom door. Nomura's eyes peer in that direction as she grinned. Using the toilet for support, Jim moved behind it, and Raelle transformed into her Gargoyle form, waiting for her attack. After a while, Nomura's claws slid beneath the door, scratching the tile.
"You can't hide forever. Trust me... I would know," She told them.
The two watched as the handle to their bathroom door shook as she tried to reach them. Jim and Raelle watched the shaking knob with his sword raised as they slowly paced backward. Suddenly, the trembling had concluded, and not even a breath was taken from the other side of the door. The two teens waited, trying to figure the situation out. Without warning, the door bursts open, Jim's body falling back against the wall as fighting occurred, his form wincing visibly as each grunt echoed in her ears.
The bathroom door opened slightly, Jim and Raelle's eyes peered through to find nothing but the upstairs empty. Jim and Raelle, now human again, peeked their heads through the window to discover Draal and Nomura battling against one another on the front lawn.
Draal threw a punch, but with ease, Nomura escaped, jumping onto the roof as Jim and Raelle gasped at the sight. Draal followed Nomura to the top of the house while the two pulled themselves farther out to find them halfway to the backyard. Taking off with another run, Jim and Raelle head down the stairs to the kitchen. They watch as Draal uses his signature roll as Nomura's swords scraped against him, sparks flying.
They stopped in the backyard of the Lake's house and stared another one down. The Trollhunter pushed open the door, letting Nomura easily find him and Raelle. Her quick feet moved her closer to the teens, but Draal blocked her from landing a hand on Jim and Raelle. With the force of his arm, Draal tossed her back farther from the two teens
"What are you doing here?" Nomura questioned.
"Delivering you pain again, Nomura. Do not touch the Trollhunter and Witcher," Draal said threateningly.
"Suddenly you're honorable? Sorry to hear about daddy. Bular always liked the way he screamed."
The tip of her sword tapped against her chin, smiling as her words dug deep into Draal's skin. With anger, Draal lets out a fierce war cry, aiming quick punches at Nomura, who leaped back from each blow.
Nomura kicked at threw her sword, and the sharp weapon pounded on his head, barely making an impact. With struggle, Nomura couldn't keep still as Draal continued to push her towards the fence. The changeling leaped onto the slim surface and jumped over his tall body, slicing his arm with her sword, his scream piercing the quiet night.
Now it was her turn to swing randomly, his arms becoming a shield as her swords had hit him. Sick and tired of not ending the fight, Draal's hands grabbed each sword, pulling them apart to reveal Nomura's shocked face.
With one more roar, Draal swings her body to each side, her stone skin smacking against the hard surface of the dirt before tossing her far from Jim and Raelle's house, signifying that Draal had won the battle.
"Impure," He spat before looking at a flabbergasted Jim and Raelle, "You were right."
"So, you're not here to kill me?" Jim asked.
"Not kill. Protect," He said.
Jim's eyes grew before his face dropped, the armor shedded, falling in the hold of the amulet as it rolled from his reach. Draal picked up the amulet and looked at the teenage boy in front of him, Jim watching with confusion as Draal held out his hand.
"Take it. Don't make it weird," Draal said to Jim, repeating the words the human had spoken to him not long ago.
Jim smiled and gently grabbed it as Draal entered the house.
"Are you going to be okay?" Raelle asked the troll.
"I am," Draal answered before sniffing the tea, "But, are the two of you?"
After sniffing the foul scent of tea, Draal flicked the cup off the table and inspected part of the house.
"Your battles won't always be waged in arenas. Neither of you won't have time to prepare, to study your opponent for weaknesses as you did me. You are the Trollhunter. And you are the Witcher. It is time to start being afraid."
Jim and Raelle stood beside the door frame as Draal stood across from them, letting out a sigh.
"Since I cannot go back to Trollmarket, I will guard your home," Draal added, looking around the house.
"I... I don't think my mother would be down with that," Jim said.
Draal walked off as Jim and Raelle tried to follow, Barbara rested in the corner. Draal sniffed, finding a door and entering it as Jim gently pulled off her glasses and set them nicely on the tableside. Down in the basement, Draal stood in front of the furnace, pulling out coal and tossing it into his mouth.
"This is nice," Draal said before he pulled out more burning rocks and scattered them onto the floor, "Here I shall protect you and your fleshbag mother, Bar-bu-rah."
"Mmm... close enough," Jim said.
"Your mother will awaken soon. I protect. I do not clean."
"Right. We'll get right on that," Raelle said.
Jim and Raelle headed back up the stairs, and each grabbed a broom on their way. Yet, they stopped as Draal continued.
"Fleshbag..." Draal called, "Maybe you'll make a good Trollhunter, after all. The same to you, Witcher. I met your predecessor during the Battle of Killahead Bridge. When that time comes, I will be proud to fight by both your sides."
After Draal stepped closer to Jim and Raelle, the two teens smiled and set a hand on each of Draal's spiked shoulders.
"Thanks, Draal," Jim and Raelle said.